Celbrate History!

Oct. 19th & 20th, 2019 - Bradley Museum

Time Travel to 1812

Oct. 19th & 20th, 2019 - Bradley Museum

Life Two Hundred Years Ago

Oct. 19th & 20th, 2019 - Bradley Museum

Mississauga, Ontario

Oct. 19th & 20th, 2019 - Bradley Museum

Schedule of Events

Engagement 1812 includes thrilling demonstrations, sutlers selling wares, and all sorts of fun for your family. Click here to see the schedule of our events and to see a list of participant groups and organisations!

Plan Your Visit

Step back in history with the entire family! Visit one of Mississauga's premier living history events and take in life in early 19th century Upper Canada! Click here to find out more about Engagement 1812 and plan your visit to us!

Re-Enactors Information

Are you a living historian or re-enactor who will be taking part in the event? Click here for more information....

Host Unit

Thompson's Company of The 2nd York Regiment is a Mississauga based unit which operates in connection with Heritage Missisauga. Interested in becoming a re-enactor? Click here to find out about our company!

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In June of 1812, the United States of America, having many unaddressed grievances with Great Britain, declared war and began the process of military actions against the nearest British territory to them, the Canadas.

Their objective – to attack Upper Canada though the Detroit River border, the Niagara peninsula, and Lower Canada by attacks on Montreal and Quebec crossing the St. Lawrence. The defence of the whole of Canada fell to about eight thousand British regular soldiers, about nine-thousand native allies, and about four-thousand militia.

The latter group, citizen soldiers, usually poorly equipped, little trained, but with a great deal to fight for... the protection of their homes. It was the duty, and indeed, even the law for all able bodied men to heed the call to arms and help defend their King and Country.

The Militia was made up entirely of citizen soldiers. From Halifax to Amherstburg, from 1794 through to 1811, these farmers, shop keepers, businessmen, and all the other settlers between the ages of 16 to 60 were legally bound to come to training only once a year, often with their own weapons and without uniforms, to learn basic military drill and be as ready as they could be. By 1812, in Upper Canada, militia drilling and readiness was ramped up thanks to the foresight of the military administrator of Upper Canada, Major General Isaac Brock who saw the signs of war and invasion coming.

The host regiment for this event, The 2nd York Militia, was drawn from Toronto Township and saw action in and around the Niagara region.